Wednesday, September 30, 2009

[VIDEO] Teresa dedicated this tango by Carlos Gardel to a visiting friend from Argentina.

Full review to follow.

UPDATED 10/5:

The scene at Marsh Woodwinds was pretty as a nativity when Paco Band played to a packed house amid exotic bric a brac. The band included leader Ed Stephenson, Chris Hilton and Ryan Johnson, guitars, Peewee "Poquitico" Watson on bass, and Beverly Botsford guesting on percussion. There's no way to bury the sound in here; it's the moment of truth. The flamenco fusion consortium never sounded truer, with Botsford's superior range and spontaneity and Watson's surefoot basslines complementing Stephenson's virtuoso fretboard skills.

"It's like a bohemian Blue Note," she says, alluding as much to the decor--things like the tigerskin-covered drum kit mounted into one wall--as to the incredible acoustics.

Teresa Fernández sang with Eda due at the top of the second set, following a snack-filled intermission. (Marsh's hospitality is more like a house party than a formal venue, adding to the mood of proximity.) Teresa, a soprano born in Havana, Cuba, projects fragility and elegance, dressed all in black with a gold coin belt accentuating her slender waist and a lace shawl around her shoulders. Her voice isn't delicate, but clarion and without pretense.

"I like to tease her," says Ed, with Teresa within earshot, when asked what it is he most enjoys about working with the singer.

"The real reason is, she's so authentic. She's so authentic, and she has a beautiful voice, of course," says Ed.

There couldn't be a better place to hear this type of music, or this band.Bonus video:Paco Band played "Hotel California" as an encore. I like this idea of reclaiming pop songs that have elements of flamenco (or some other Latin music) for "traditional" or "classical" or "authentic" performance. It's a way of connecting what listeners already know to something they think of as more foreign or distant.

Friday, September 25, 2009

I remember the first time I saw live orisha dance, at a presentation at the long-gone Raleigh nightclub Plum Crazy by Salsa Carolina, way WAY back in the day. The warlike Ogun, with his machete, struck a little actual fear in me, and love goddess Oshun, in a yellow dress, circled on the same dancefloor where couples usually flitted to pop merengue and salsa erotica by the likes of Elvis Crespo and Frankie Ruiz.

I really didn't know what I was seeing, at the time, but the power and mystery in the room was palpable. It's been years, and I've seen other performances since, but the memory of that experience, and the emotions it provoked, surprisingly hasn't faded.

A lot of salsa dancers don't know much about the religious folklore that underpins Afro-Cuban culture, the source of many of our dance rhythms. A rare opportunity to get a FREE look at these dances from the inside comes this Sunday [CORRECTION: POSTPONED, NEW DATE TBA] at Paso Salsa Studios in Durham.

Part of the radical Free Expression Project, offering free workshops to encourage new, creative directions for local dancers, the Orisha Dance Workshop will give instruction in fundamentals for dancing Elegua for men and Yemaya for women.

The embedded videos give you an idea of what each orisha dance is like, and how the singing and drumming and dancing work together. Tambor Vivo's live drums will accompany the workshop.

I encourage anyone even just a little curious about the Afro-Cuban orishas, derived from the ancient Yoruba pantheon in West Africa, to venture out. What have you got to lose, really? This aspect of the culture is rarely glimpsed in our area. To invite people in to share in it, for free, is distinctly a blessing.

Primal energies ran high in what may have been the most extraordinary night in the monthly Cuban jam series since they started last year.

Mosaic's Moroccan wine cellar ambience took on a kind of beatnik vibe, where novices and nightclub habitues mingled with rumba aficionados and Cuban homeboys. I saw one New Yorker, a former Palladium dancer, summoning rumba steps from the same deep, mysterious roots that fed the original mambo craze.

More, please."

Beverly Botsford and Tambor Vivo at the Carrboro Century Center in July. Eduardo and Stephanie Winston exhibit flourish as they lead dancers in Afro-Cuban rumba.

I like those killer breaks (around the 1:00 mark) on the middle tune, which I'm told means "I Melt When I Make Love to You."

Backstage with Telly Procopos, the charismatic lead singer of Zephyros

This was from the final set on Saturday night, the so-called "Power Hour," an unstoppable medley of tunes designed to get everybody dancing. If you liked the 3-minute clip, here are the 10 minutes that preceded it:

This festival is definitely about the FOOD, so come hungry. Some of the meals looked a little heavy (like I said, come HUNGRY) but I snacked on a gyro sandwich which was delicious, enjoyed retsina, ouzo and Greek coffee. The dessert bar went to baklava and way beyond, with to-go boxes an option. To get the fullest selection, go early to the festival, say Friday or Saturday; on the other hand, Sunday brought some attractive half-price deals as they cleared out the last of the food and drink.

This monumental spread isn't catered, it is hand-prepared by the congregation of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, on Lead Mine Road in Raleigh. 10% of the take goes to a charity, this year it was Habitat for Humanity. One-dollar raffle tickets generated a "Greek Stimulus Package," with half of the cash going to the winner of a nightly drawing. The food service was no-hassle and very orderly, and the atmosphere hospitable, transforming the Fairgrounds Exposition Center into a giant church basement.

Emmanuel "Manoli" Matsos, the bass player of Zephyros, has been leading the band for 23 years, making it the most experienced, and largest, Greek band in Baltimore. They tackle many different regional styles of Greek dances, and the musicianship was top drawer, with hats off to clarinetist Dave Drosini, guitarist Stavros Blicas, keyboardist Peter Bisbikis and bouzouki player Yianni Barlas, who also adds synth tones of soz, qanun and violin. (This reminded me of the way the Mexican tierra caliente bands use synth tuba.) The band's youngest member, 24-year-old Bill Matsos, is Manoli's son and a serious drummer who studied music for 10 years (and played in a few rock bands) before joining his dad's outfit. About a year ago, vocalist Telly Procopos also joined Zephyros full-time.

The band is a mainstay on the East Coast festival circuit, having played Fayetteville last week, and slated for Ocean City, Maryland and Tyson's Corner, Virginia in the coming weeks. Google your Greek festivals, or hopefully, these folks will stay in touch. Opa!

Finally! I was at the right place at the right time to catch Pako Santiago in a bongo solo. Pako plays timbales often in Carnavalito, and will take up congas in the new incarnation of Charanga Carolina, but I especially like his sabor boricua on the bongó.

Here he is with Sajaso on Saturday, working a pretty hefty chart at the Cary Caribbean Festival: a 1967 Eddie Palmieri descarga on the Tito Puente composition "Picadillo."

Ramon Ortiz follows him on timbales, then Rafael Duque (keeper of the great blog Sentimiento Mañana) on congas.

Sound equipment was not adequate at this event. This is the first year for the all-volunteer Cary Caribbean Festival, and it was a healthy beginning, but the event would benefit next time from a stage manager and sound crew.

The best way to appreciate the music was to stand next to the bandstand, at the back of the speakers, so the sound could travel naturally to your ears. A drum has natural amplification, after all, that is the essence of a drum. Despite the audio challenges, this event was really enjoyable because of hot moments like these--another Eddie Palmieri classic, from the 1964 album Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso:

Frank Vila tears up the piano, then Rafael Duque solos again (more audible than in the last clip), Serena Wiley on saxophone, and then guest rumberos Cesar Cordero and Rick Radian dialogue on congas and cajon.

I didn't hear the whole show but caught Salsa del Sol doing "Señor Sereno," with lots of Puerto Rico references, and "Rompe Saraguey." Larry Harlow and Hector Lavoe, classic Fania. Don't know who is in the band.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Live salsa band Sajaso headlines the first Cary Caribbean Festival this Saturday (9/19). Many Antillean cultural groups, including bomba and plena dancers from the Asociacion de Puertorriqueños Unidos de NC, will be participating in the free festival, which runs from 2-7 pm in the Herbert Walker Community Center. (See calendar listing.)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Guillo Carias' primary instrument is trumpet/flugelhorn, but for the trio he leads from the piano. Also a master piano tuner and rebuilder, Guillo and his wife Maria moved to the Triangle about a year ago, but his career in music traces back to his youth in Santo Domingo, when his father taught him every instrument in the marching band. Today, he is a well-known figure in Dominican jazz, still returning to the island every year to play their jazz festival, and has released 10 albums under his own name.

This genial trio combines just the right mix of experience and insoucience, with fellow Dominicano Ramon Ortiz on percussion and Andy Kleindienst on jazz bass. Salseros know Andy as the elephant trombone of Orquesta GarDel, but listen and hear what a fine bass player he is. Likewise Ramon, often the timbalero or bongocero in dance bands, is a sophisticated and playful trapset drummer bringing his special knowledge of hand drums to the party.

The suave, muscular dance rhythm of Dominican merengue gives the Carias Trio its unique pulse, energizing standards such as "Speak Low" and "Besame Mucho" like waves breaking the surface of an endless sea of smooth. Guillo, who led hotel bands in Santo Domingo for years, is thoroughly at ease in the cocktail lounge setting, smiling at guests while multitasking on guira, vocals or melodica to keep the voyage percolating.

Here's a characteristic peek at the crew wearing its many hats:

Venue details: No cover for Wednesday jazz. Sullivan's serves high-end martinis and a surf-and-turf menu at the bar, which has comfortable seating in which to park and listen for hours. ESPN runs on the silent big screens, and the female waits in fishnets are attentive to small parties and high rollers alike.

Downsides: no draft beer, and drink prices are restaurant style, so tax-added totals run into the pennies and dimes. The occasional cigar puffer may get to you if you are sensitive to smoke.

The upside: World class Latin jazz a lo dominicano like you won't hear anywhere else. And Guillo personally tunes the piano every week. If you love live music in the Triangle, check this out at least once.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Gotta say farewell and good luck to Alfredo Morua Averhoff, who joined our music scene for a short time this summer. Alfredo, a master pastry chef, moved back to New York suddenly for professional reasons, and his presence is already missed. He was an easygoing, adaptable musician who sang rumba and played percussion with Tambor Vivo among others.

Unforgettably, Alfredo sang me a birthday rumba at their last concert at the Carrboro Century Center, with some very beautiful personalized lyrics. That was the icing on the cake.

We will miss Alfredo's smile, his Cuban style, and his bald profile! (Of which he is proud.) He knows he's got friends in Carolina.

One of 160 bands performing for free at Carrboro Music Festival this Sunday (9/20), One Sun is a jazz fusion project of Saludos Compay pianist Erich Lieth. He is joined here by Drew Pilant (percussion), Padmini Hands (Brazilian and South Asian vocals), Jay Miller (saxophone) and Victor Murillo (guitar), at Weaver Street Market last weekend:

What are the odds of yet another afternoon tango salon, next Sunday (9/20)? This time at Duke with the Mallarme Chamber Players and Tango North Carolina dancers Amalia and Roberto Restucha and Alicia and Eduardo Lazarowski:

Sunday, September 13, 2009

The exquisite Teresa Fernández sings a danza here with guitarist Ed Stephenson from the second half of Sunday's program celebrating music of Spain:

Teresa and the Paco Band opened the program with a flamenco stunner, then the tango dancers came out. Here's a clip of Jason and Cecilia:

Adding a modern twist to the 19th-century classical guitar piece "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," dancer Lacy Lowder performed choreography by Carol Finley that seemed to allude to Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.

Stephenson, a music professor at Meredith College, named Paco Band after his flamenco guitar idol, Paco de Lucia.

Rounding out the band on Sunday were guitarist Craig Hilton, bassist Peewee Watson whose americana projects include The Whistlestop, and world percussionist Beverly Botsford, who regularly backs jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon.

Beverly Botsford plays an astounding range of percussion, from the Afro-Cuban congas, bongo and shekere, to the atmospheric and multi-cultural rainsticks, chimes and castanets. Whatever the instrument, she plays it with the verve of a dancer, which is no accident.

"In 1974 when I was in college, I took a course in flamenco, and it just kind of stuck with me," she says.

.Beverly also gave a short history and demonstration of the string cajon, a snare-rigged box used heavily in flamenco as well as Afro Peru and Cuba:

If you want to hear more, Beverly's all-percussion ensemble Tambor Vivo will perform a variety of Latin American rhythms ONE WEEK from Thursday, on (9/24), at Mosaic's free, no-cover monthly Cuban party. (See calendar; this reflects a SCHEDULE CHANGE.)

DAC's "Sunday Salon" was produced by writer, Pulitzer Prize nominee and Indy Arts Award winner Richard Krawiec, who delivers high quality, multi-arts programming to community audiences at low cost.

"This is part of my vision of making the arts vital and accessible," Krawiec says.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Driade's wine garden (they sell beer and coffees too) is a hot date spot and hang out when Saludos Compay plays once a month. The combo turns on guitars, voices and hand percussion--no timbales or horns--so it's a campfire atmosphere, a place to sip and converse while enjoying the primal groove of Cuban rhythm. There is something of the fairy tale to this color-lit, woodland setting, so if you are inclined to dance, this enclave is romantic.

It's with a mix of sad and happy that I bid public farewell to Victor Murillo, who played classical guitar with Saludos on Friday. Sad to be losing his talents as a multi-instrumentalist (and an excellent salsa dancer), and happy for a wonderful guy who is excited to be moving back to his home and family in Ecuador. Victor leaves Monday, but promises to be back to visit in November for a previously scheduled gig; in the meantime, abrazos y deseos para todo lo mejor!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

I just discovered that the musical Castañeda family, masters of the Colombian folk harp, have set down roots right here in the Triangle. Patriarch Pavelid Castañeda Sr. (pictured), the harpist I raved about at La Fiesta this year, makes his home Chapel Hill. (He and his wife moved here from New York in 2006 when one of their sons received a soccer scholarship to Duke.) A full-time musician and music educator, Pavelid wowed Fiesta audiences with his solo take on "Oye Como Va," as well as traditional llanera music of Colombia's eastern plains.

It turns out, I've been listening to the music of Pavelid's children for years, and didn't know it. Johanna Castañeda has sung backup on Jimmy Bosch's great salsa dura albums, and takes center stage on one tune on Jimmy's latest, A Millon!. Johanna, also a folk dancer and a harpist, gigs regularly in the New York area as a cuatro guitarist and vocalist.

Her older sister, Angela Pilar Castañeda, also sings and plays the Venezuelan cuatro professionally. She and her father performed as a duo for over a decade. Now Angela is an active church musician who resides in Florida.

Youngest son Pavelid Jr. played "soccer for Duke and harp for my family," according to his myspace. The Duke '09 grad plays both these days in the New York area, coaching soccer at Nassau Community College and playing harp at a Colombian restaurant.

Meanwhile, eldest son Edmar Castaneda is breaking paradigms with his introduction of the Colombian folk harp to jazz's highest echelons. Edmar's jaw-dropping live renditions of Latin jazz tunes are the stuff of legend, and Edmar is frequently invited to play with top guns in the Latin and Jazz worlds such as Arturo O'Farrill, Wynton Marsalis, Lila Downs, Candido Camero and Paquito D'Rivera.

Want to hear the Castañeda magic a little closer to home? Pavelid Sr. plays the Colombian harp weekly for dinner guests at Dos Taquitos Centro in downtown Raleigh, Thursdays from 7-9 pm. He also plays at The Umstead for brunch and afternoon tea several times a month. Catch him while you can; father and son will be travelling to France and Israel together in October and November.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Craig and Seth, the beloved local wine gurus at Durham's Wine Authorities, are celebrating the store's 2nd anniverary this Thursday (9/10), 5-7 pm.

There's no music connection other than that they love my radio show, Azucar y Candela, and play it in the store. (WXDU has renewed my timeslot for another semester for 6-8 pm Wednesdays.)

The birthday party will feature vendors: Locopops (selling wine-based pops) and Only Burger gourmet burger truck, as well as free samples from Artisan Cupcakes, Counter Culture Coffee, and more. Frank the balloon twister will be entertaining the under 21 crowd.

Searching for a nice birthday video, I came across this very homemade demo for Mariachi Nuevo Jalisco based in Lima Peru. Someone commented on the living room decor, but I gotta, say, that's one of my favorite parts! This is zoomtastic:

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Got news or calendar items for Onda Carolina? I would love to hear from YOU. You can leave a comment, or email me by clicking on "Sylvia P." in the contributors box (sidebar, right) to reach my Blogger profile.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Mexican-American singer Lila Downs had an emergency appendectomy on August 23rd, and had to cancel a week of concerts. A note on her webpage says she is "strong as an eagle" and expecting a full recovery.